Tips to save on energy costs in Massachusetts

Monday

Massachusetts residents are no strangers to expensive energy costs, especially during colder months.

A recent report by Move.org shows Massachusetts residents on average pay the eighth-highest utility costs in the country -- $469 per month -- and the fourth highest in New England.

What some residents don’t know, however, is that there are several ways to make changes -- big and small -- around any home or apartment that could help lower those costs.

“Becoming more energy efficient is the single-most important step a homeowner or renter can take to gain control of their energy use and energy costs,” said Bill Stack, energy efficiency manager for Eversource, one of the state’s largest utility companies.

The following tips come from energy organizations and professionals, who say following them could go a long way toward helping residents -- on any budget --reduce energy costs.

Schedule an energy audit

Unless energy efficiency is your field of expertise, scheduling an energy audit is an easy way to start.

In Massachusetts, ratepayers pay a surcharge on energy bills to help fund Mass Save, a collaborative among utilities that offers customers energy efficiency services and rebates for their homes and businesses.

Mass Save workers will come to customers’ homes and conduct a no-cost energy audit. The audit results in a detailed list of services that can be done to improve efficiency, such as installing vapor barriers in crawl spaces and insulating walls and attics.

“A house that’s not properly insulated is like leaving a window open all year round,” Stack said.

Ultimately, it’s up to the customer whether to move forward with the recommended improvements. But because the program is subsidized by ratepayers, Mass Save will cover between 75 percent and 100 percent of the cost, depending on income.

At 75 percent of costs covered, customers would pay $1,000 for $4,000 worth of energy-efficiency work, and the remaining cost can be financed at 0 percent through the program.

More details about the program can be found at MassSave.com.

Don’t overlook the small stuff

Besides calling in the professionals, there are plenty of do-it-yourself projects that can be done around the house at little to no cost.

“Let the sun help warm your house,” said Stack, pointedly.

Indeed, simply opening the blinds each day will allow the sun to help heat the house naturally, which could help reduce overall heating costs. Another small adjustment that could result in big savings is finding and sealing air leaks around chimneys, windows, doors and unfinished spaces.

Caulking or plastic film can be used to seal the leaks.

Green Energy Consumers, a nonprofit advocacy group, has a few other simple tips to improve efficiency and reduce costs during winter months:

-- Remove window AC units.

-- Close all storm windows and lock all windows. If windows can’t be locked, try using shims to bring the upper and lower sashes together.

-- Wearing a sweater will allow you to be comfortable with the thermostat set several degrees lower than you could without a sweater.

Pay attention to your thermostat

While the thermostat can create a rift among family members and roommates who can’t agree on what’s hot and what’s cold, it can also act as the key to savings of up to 30 percent.

“Lifestyles are different, but based on a historic review of billing, we can make projections,” Stack said.

The U.S. Department of Energy recommends setting the thermostat as low as is comfortable when you are home and awake, and to reduce it between 10 degrees and 15 degrees for eight hours per day. People can do that while asleep or out of the house.

For fans of smart-home technology, Wi-Fi-connected thermostats — or “smart thermostats” — allow residents to set schedules and adjust temperatures throughout the day. Programmable thermostats operate the same but cannot be accessed using a smartphone.

Mass Save gives free programmable thermostats to customers who sign up for the energy audit, with the exception of electric-heat customers because the installation requires a licensed electrician.

Maintain and adjust your heating systems

Finally, regularly servicing a heating system is a low-cost way to achieve long-term savings.

DOE recommends regularly replacing filters for furnaces and heat pumps, and residents with wood- and pellet-burning heaters should “clean the flue vent regularly and clean the inside of the appliance with a wire brush periodically to ensure your home is heated efficiently.”

The servicing could extend the lifetime of the heating system and prevent minor issues from becoming major repairs in the future.

One more pro tip is to turn down the temperature of the water heater to warm (DOE recommends 120 degrees).

Eli Sherman is an investigative and in-depth reporter at Wicked Local and GateHouse Media. Email him at esherman@wickedlocal.com, or follow him on Twitter @Eli_Sherman.